KEEP LONDON MOVING brings together commuters and passengers who are sick and tired of the repeated threats of industrial action by transport workers and would be willing—in principle—to volunteer their own time and effort to help maintain a functioning service on the London Underground in the event of future strikes.

Over three million people everyday rely on the tube, but increasingly they are being held to ransom by a tiny coterie of militant trade unionists—led by self-proclaimed communist, Bob Crowe—who frequently threaten to bring the nation’s capital to a standstill on the most flimsy and spurious of grounds. Their principal intention is usually to inflate still further the grotesquely large pay packets of London Underground staff. The needs of millions of passengers must not be continually overridden by the ridiculous demands of barely 8,000 RMT members who work on the underground system.

Tube drivers are paid approximately £40,000 a year to work a thirty-five hour week, with almost nine weeks’ annual leave, a generous pension and free travel thrown in. Unsurprisingly, such staggeringly overpaid work ensures that all vacancies are enormously over-subscribed. Even if tube drivers’ salary packages were halved, they would still be paid about the same as London bus drivers who undertake considerably more skilled and difficult work.

As a modern, 21st century city, London cannot afford to fall victim to waves of 1970s-style industrial action. This is especially true in the present uncertain economic climate. And with the capital due to host the Olympics in four years’ time, the capacity for the RMT union to wreak havoc on our city will only increase unless drastic action is taken.

By becoming a supporter of KEEP LONDON MOVING you would be pledging—in principle—to volunteer for an eight hour shift for every full week of strikes on London Underground and to make yourself available for rudimentary training before commencing any work. You would not be incurring any legal obligation by pledging your support.

The campaign has been launched yet another think-tank, Progressive Vision and it's one that I approve of, not only because I live in London, but also because it's part of the "individuals helping the community" ideas that underpin libertarianism.

Besides, as this song attests, how hard can it be?

Sign up and while we're at it, why don't we start a Kick Bob Crow In The Nuts With A Lead-Weighted Diving Boot campaign too?

9 comments:

No, DK, no, no, please, no, not that, anything but that. I totally agree with you on the politics etc etc but please tell me you don't support that "version" of the world's greatest ever 3 minute pop song...why would anyone bastardise a song whose video shows a hand coming out and sweeping away photos of Attlee, Churchill, Eden, SuperMac, Wilson, Heath, Callaghan and Thatch??

No, you can't do this, no I won't allow it [TD is carried away by persons in white coats]....

Even the cheese-eating surrender monkeys manage to prevent this kind of cr*p with unions - who are obliged to provide a level of service on strike days. Why can't we? Oh, because we've got muppets in Gov't (literally in the case of 'Sam the Eagle' Darling) [hattip: Private Eye].

How about applying EU 'abuse of a dominant position' monopoly laws to Crowe et al? Let's bankrupt the cunts!

Not half as difficult as growing Northern Rock into the great success it is, or real 'hard work' like that, eh?

Train driving is unskilled work. Providing someone has the basic aptitude and an ability to learn the rules and apply them in practice, it is not a particularly difficult job. Indeed, the greatest risk comes from boredom leading to inattention - hence the reminder equipment provided in the cab (I talk of main line trains here - I'm not familiar with LUL cabs). No it is not as onerous as growing a national or multi-national business. I could do the former, but never the latter.

No, I wouldn't be volunteering to drive any trains - I've spent enough time on the footplate to realise that it is mind-numbingly tedious.